Manipulating Data for the Benefit of Charter Schools

“Because there are no facts, there is no truth

Just data to be manipulated

I can get you any result you like

What’s it worth to you?

Because there is no wrong, there is no right

And I sleep very well at night

No shame, no solution, no remorse, no retribution”

- Don Henley, The Garden of Allah

After a summer filled with revelations about confidential dealings between the California Charter School Association (CCSA) and Nick Melvoin, one would think that this Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) board member would take some time to regroup. Instead, Melvoin charged ahead during the first meeting of the school year by placing an item to updated board rules on the agenda. It was his fourth attempt to pass the changes that had been formulated behind closed doors. Unlike a previous attempt, this new version did not reduce the amount of time allotted for public comment. However, he still seemed dead set on reducing transparency, as I noted in my public comment: